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Desmin Common Mutation Is Associated With Multi-Systemic Disease Manifestations And Depletion Of Mitochondria And Mitochondrial Dna., Elizabeth M. Mccormick, Lawrence C. Kenyon, Marni J. Falk

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Desmin (DES) is a major muscle scaffolding protein that also functions to anchor mitochondria. Pathogenic DES mutations, however, have not previously been recognized as a cause of multi-systemic mitochondrial disease. Here, we describe a 45-year-old man who presented to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Mitochondrial-Genetics Diagnostic Clinic for evaluation of progressive cardiac, neuromuscular, gastrointestinal, and mood disorders. Muscle biopsy at age 45 was remarkable for cytoplasmic bodies, as well as ragged red fibers and SDH positive/COX negative fibers that were suggestive of a mitochondrial myopathy. Muscle also showed significant reductions in mitochondrial content (16% of control mean for citrate synthase …